


House of Hades

by cometkins



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Barista Zagreus, M/M, Meg is the manager, Mortician Thanatos, Past Megaera/Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Pining, Rating will change, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:01:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28374336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cometkins/pseuds/cometkins
Summary: Zagreus spends his days toiling away in his father’s cafe, House of Hades. He has great friends, and he does his best at a job that won’t let him advance. Things start to take a turn when his childhood friend Thanatos comes back into town after years away.-----Slow burn Coffee Shop AU because I couldn’t find one yet and I had to fix that.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 80
Kudos: 235





	1. Mother Tongue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't spotted a coffee shop au and they're my favorite so I decided it was high time to get off my butt and write one myself this time. I plan to have it get spicy later I swear, but we gotta have that slow burn first. I write a lot but this is my first time writing fanfiction so I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Thanks to Eli for beta reading.

Zagreus let out a yawn as he scanned the cafe, covering his mouth to be polite. It was close to noon now, well past the initial morning rush, and it was much too slow. He always turned into an anxious ball of energy when he was too bored, and he was willing  _ anybody _ to come in and break the tedium before his shift ended.

While he tended the front counter Dusa was in the lobby, dutifully sweeping up while nobody could get in the way. She had headphones in and her dreadlocks bounced with each bob of her head as she worked quietly. He could hear Eurydice in the back kitchen working on whatever was going to restock the food display, singing her own tune, and Zagreus tapped his fingers in time with the rhythm. Meg was going to get here soon to take over for him, and chewed his lip in anticipation.

He blinked a few times when he heard the bells on the door jingle, and Dusa gasped and tried to make herself scarce to get out of the way of the person coming in. Zagreus perked up and tried to shove down his exhaustion, glad to have  _ something _ to do while his final work hour wound down.

He put on his best face and greeted them, “Welcome to House of Hades! What can I start for you?”

The man who came into the shop was rather striking in appearance; deep brown skin, honey colored eyes, and long silver hair that went past his shoulders. He wore a dark shirt with a deep v and equally dark jeans, and Zagreus had to admit he was entranced. He looked the man over, feeling a tug of familiarity. Did he know him from somewhere?

The man approached the counter and then blinked before asking, “Zagreus?”

Zagreus squinted a bit, tilting his head before grinning back and trying to put on his best customer service face once he remembered himself.

“Yes, at your service mate! You seem to know me already?”

Zagreus was very familiar with all their regular customers and he was positive this guy wasn’t one of them, but something was negging him in the back of his mind. Where had they met?

The silver-haired man huffed, shaking his head before replying, “I do suppose it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other… I’m Thanatos. You know my mother, Nyx. And my brother Hypnos, I think.”

Everything clicked into place after that. “Oh! Than! I don’t think I’ve seen you around since the start of high school, how’ve you been?”

Zagreus had to think of how long it had been since he’d last seen Thanatos. Over a decade now? Nyx had told him a little about what Thanatos had been up to, which was mostly working in the city where his college had been. They hadn’t been very close as kids, but it was nice to know he was back in town.

“I’ve mostly been very busy,” Thanatos replied, “But I’m here now. Wanted to be close to family again, be somewhere a bit quieter. But anyway, Mother sent me to get her favorite coffee, and who am I to deny her?”

Dusa appeared in the lobby again as they talked, resuming her sweeping, seemingly more comfortable now that she knew Thanatos wasn’t a standard customer. Thanatos paid her no mind.

Zagreus began inputting Nyx and Hypnos’s regular orders into the register, smiling back at Thanatos again. “She does like what I do, yeah. I know what her and your brother like, but what about you? I need to make a good impression again, since it’s been so long and all.”

Thanatos scoffed at that, but a smile pulled at the corner of his lips. Zagreus felt proud of that; Thanatos wasn’t the most joyful of people from what he could recall.

“If what Mother says is true, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about, Zagreus. I’ll just have a black coffee this time though, Hypnos sings the praises of it.”

Zagreus barked a short laugh at that, shaking his head. “The black I make for Hypnos is different from our regular stuff, you may not like it. I’ve been testing stronger and stronger stuff for him to see what might keep him awake. Little worried I might end up poisoning him with caffeine one of these days…”

Thanatos cracked a smile at that. “Let me try it anyway, I promise to not let it color my impressions if I hate it. Just a small to start though.”

Zagreus gave him a sheepish look, biting his lip in thought. It was truly disgusting, powerful stuff that he made for Hypnos; it was the result of months of testing and experimenting, which still resulted in next to nothing. Hypnos could never seem to stay awake no matter what he did, but he seemed to like drinking it anyway. It would be fine if Thanatos had it too, probably. Right?

“Well, all right, if you’re sure. Your funeral though!”

Thanatos huffed the tiniest of laughs when he said that, and Zagreus felt a flutter of pride. He remembered Thanatos as being very reserved and quiet, and it seemed that was still the case. Getting any kind of reaction out of him felt like an accomplishment even back then, but especially now. He took a moment to admire the man Thanatos had become; very handsome, he had to admit, and much less shy than when they were kids. It was going to be good to get to know each other again.

Zagreus turned away and began working on all three coffees, pulling out the special mix for Hypnos from one of the bottom shelves. He had to roast his own beans at home for it and pull out the fancy french press to boot. It was a lot of work, but Zagreus took pride in it all. He’d learned a lot about making his own roasts since he started this project for Hypnos, and now he had several special bags set aside for all his friends. ‘The nectar of the coffee gods’, as they liked to joke. He wasn’t so sure it was all that great, but it felt good that everybody enjoyed it.

He got everything pressed and dripping in to go cups, then stuffed them all in a cardboard tray that he set by the register.

“All right, any other treats before I ring you up? There’s still some fresh banana bread and croissants that Eurydice made this morning that I promise are to die for.”

Thanatos paused at that, looking through the display case with all the pastries and other treats. He hummed in thought before pointing out one of the croissants. “The feta and spinach sounds good, let’s try that then. Hard to beat fresh pastries.”

“Eurydice is a master pastry chef, I swear. I’m grateful every day she stays in this place, even if I don’t know why.”

“You singing my praises hon?” Speak of the devil.

Eurydice came out from the back, a huge tray of freshly made cookies in hand. Zagreus felt his mouth water, staring as she started loading them into the display case before he remembered himself. He caught Thanatos watching her and heard him breathe in deep to catch the smell. Zagreus couldn’t blame him, he had to do it every time the display got reloaded himself.

“Only always! Thanatos hasn’t had the pleasure of trying your work yet.”

Eurydice looked up from the display case then, afro pulled back into a neat ponytail that bounced with the movement. “Oh really, a newbie then huh? Zag here might think he’s the star of the show, but everybody knows it’s me and my food~”

Zagreus snorted and replied, “No, I think we all know it’s you.”

Thanatos gave Eurydice a pleasant smile, bowing his head a bit in greeting. Zagreus finally remembered to grab Thanatos’s croissant, getting it wrapped up in a glassine bag that he handed over to him.

“Trade you this for your payment,” said Zagreus.

“A tough but fair exchange all said,” Thanatos replied.

Zagreus laughed and got him rung up, handing over the receipt and helping Thanatos get his order together. The bells on the door rang again as Eurydice headed into the back and he glanced over, sighing in relief as Megaera walked in. Soon he’d be free.

Thanatos looked over to the door when Zagreus did, raising his eyebrows in surprise. “Meg?”

Meg glanced over when her name was called, looking as sharp as ever. Her bright blue hair was tied back tight, her uniform was crisp and straight, and her eyeliner was sharp enough to cut stone. She always radiated an energy of authority, which was fitting; she was the manager, after all. No thanks to dear old father downplaying Zagreus’s own work, of course, which Meg knew as well as he did. She always deferred to him when it came to running the cafe, unless somebody annoying asked for the manager. Then she was  _ more _ than happy to be the manager, as was Zagreus. Meg was much better at cowing those foolish enough to make a big issue out of something small, and she very much enjoyed it.

“Than? What are you doing here?” Meg and Thanatos seemed very surprised to see each other, and Zagreus was just shocked they knew each other at all. What a small world.

Thanatos walked over with his tray of coffee, smiling at Meg.

“I just moved back… It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Not since university…”

“No kidding. Didn’t think you’d want to leave your little cave in the city.”

Thanatos laughed. “Realized the big city life wasn’t quite for me. There’s always more dead people to dress up anywhere you go, at least.”

What on earth?

Thanatos looked back over then, and Zagreus flushed a bit at the realization he’d said that out loud. Oops.

“Mother never told you? I’m a mortician,” Thanatos said.

Zagreus sighed in relief, putting a hand to his chest. That definitely did  _ not _ occur to him.

“She didn’t! Glad you’re not a serial killer, Thanatos. I was about to be very concerned about reconnecting.”

Thanatos smiled back at him, a mischievous glint in his eye. “There’s always time, Zagreus. But no, that would be… unprofessional of me. I wouldn’t want to give myself more work than I already have anyway.”

Zagreus felt his stomach drop for the briefest of moments before he laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yes! Of course, of course… But you and Meg know each other?”

“We worked at the same bar during university,” Meg answered, “Than was the only other one who took the job seriously. I respect his work ethic.”

High praise, coming from Megaera.

“The feeling is mutual, Meg. It’s good to see you again, but I should be going before this gets cold,” Thanatos said, turning back to Zagreus, “It was good seeing you as well, Zagreus. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other soon enough. Later.”

“I’m sure we will Thanatos. Be seeing you.”

Thanatos gave one last wave that Zagreus returned before the bells on the door jingled once more and he disappeared onto the street again. Zagreus kept watching after him until he was out of view, and he heard Meg scoff at him.

“What?” Zagreus asked.

“Long hair and pretty eyes is all it takes with you, isn’t it?” Meg replied.

Zagreus just spluttered as he tried to formulate a response, and Meg walked away to clock in before he could get out a retort. Unfair.

But she was at least a little right, if he was being honest with himself. Meg also had beautiful, long hair and pretty eyes.

They had tried to have a thing in the past that hadn’t quite worked out. Meg was rather aromantic, as it turned out, and Zagreus found that he couldn’t quite live without romance. They had fun together, all told, but things just didn’t line up for them in the end. They had mutually agreed to remain friends, and that seemed to be much better for them. They had a deep respect for each other, and they loved each other immensely, just not in the way Zagreus had been looking for. Ah well.

Zagreus took the time to get his work station cleaned up and logged out of the register before Meg came back out and swiped her keycard to log in after him. He went into the back to get his apron put away, stretching for a few moments before stepping out front again.

Now he was prepared to respond to Meg.

“I’ll have you know, Megaera, I’m not that easy. I just haven’t seen Thanatos in a long time and he looks different, is all.”

“Mhm. And he does look good, doesn’t he?” she replied coolly.

The look she gave him sent a shiver down his spine. Meg could always look right through him to his very soul and absolutely annihilate him; it was a bit terrifying. She was wrong this time though.

“Well, he’s certainly not 14 anymore, I’ll give you that. A full fledged 28 year old adult with a job and all! Bet he’s even got a fancy studio apartment to boot. The millennial dream, you know.”

“I’m sure. Go home Zagreus, I have manager things to do now, and you’re distracting.”

Zagreus rolled his eyes at her. “Love you too Meg, see you tomorrow.”

She scoffed at him again, and he just laughed. He turned and nearly bumped into Dusa who was in the middle of sweeping still, and she squeaked.

“Oh, Zagreus! S-Sorry about that, I was so caught up in work--”

Zagreus patted her shoulder gently. “No worries at all Dusa, no harm done. Take it easy, all right?”

“S-Sure thing! See you later!”

Zagreus gave everybody one last wave before he headed out the door, taking a deep breath of the fresh autumn air.

What a strange morning it had been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it! As I said, this is my first time writing fanfic so constructive feedback is definitely welcome. I have a few chapters already written and I plan to post roughly weekly? If I can help it, so if you're wanting more you won't have to wait long. Hope you'll stick around and thanks for reading!


	2. Follow You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it normal for fic chapters to get progressively longer as you work on them? Because lol.
> 
> Thanks once more to Eli and to Kes for the betas!

Zagreus was hiding in the back room for his first break of the late shift when his phone rang, stomach dropping. The only time he got calls at work was when it was an emergency or his father, and he’d rather not hear either right now.

He was only mildly relieved that it was his father, and he took a moment to steel himself before finally answering, keeping his tone neutral.

“Yes, Father?”

“Boy, you’re coming home for dinner.”

Now Zagreus was even more skeptical. His father usually only called to berate him for some slight he’d made against the cafe, be it exaggerated or imagined. A dinner invitation was the last thing he expected, unable to help squinting at the wall in suspicion.

“Why exactly? Not that we don’t have  _ so  _ much fun in each other’s company, but I know it can’t be because you just want to see me.”

“How astute of you! No, that’s not the reason. Thanatos has moved back home recently and Nyx wants to have dinner. She asked that I extend the invitation to you, and I expect you to show up, Zagreus. 8pm sharp.”

Zagreus did his best to sigh through his nose as quiet as possible, clenching his jaw for a moment.

He hadn’t seen Nyx and Hypnos in a couple weeks, not since Thanatos had moved back, and he did want to see everybody. He was especially interested in catching up with Thanatos outside of work; he’d come in a few times asking for Hypnos’s brew, which still shocked, disgusted, and impressed him. Thanatos was certainly more powerful than he appeared, and he was also very worried about the amount of caffeine Nyx and her children seemed to be able to tolerate.

He couldn’t help feeling indignant about being  _ ordered _ to come to dinner, despite how he felt otherwise. Nothing like dear old father to make him hate the idea of spending time with childhood friends!

Still, he’d feel more guilty about saying no, despite how his throat was roiling with bitter words. He wouldn’t have time to shower after work since they closed at 7, which he absolutely hated. Nyx was always so well made up, and Thanatos also seemed to keep himself in order. At least Hypnos wouldn’t care; Hypnos was only ever just cleaned up enough to be acceptable to society. Zagreus had grown to appreciate how relaxed he could be around Hypnos in that regard.

Nyx would probably try to mother him a bunch even if he did have time to clean up, and he certainly couldn’t say he hated it. They weren’t close enough growing up for her to be a stand-in for his birth mother, exactly, but she cared for him a lot and always doted on him when he was around. The hairbrush would probably come out at the very least. She was always intent on fixing his shaggy mop, which never seemed to work despite her best efforts. Father liked to remark that even the hair on his head was defiant, and it only made Zagreus appreciate its mess more.

“All right,” he finally said, “your house, I assume?”

“Where else, boy? Now get back to work.”

His father hung up on him without another word and Zagreus finally let out the frustrated sigh he’d been holding in, tossing his phone onto the table and growling as he shoved his fingers back into his hair. Zagreus liked to consider himself a very calm, polite, and mature person, but something about talking with his father brought out the worst in him. He hated feeling so  _ angry _ so  _ instantly _ when he talked to him. He had no idea how to cope with it even on his best days. He felt like a petulant child. Certainly that was how his father saw him. There were few things more miserable than proving all of his father’s reservations were true.

Zagreus hung his head and tried to breathe deeply to bring his anger down. He was brought back to the present when the door to the break room opened and Meg came in to glare at him.

“Not to be all manager on you, Zag, but your break was over three minutes ago and I’d like to take mine.”

Zagreus heaved a deep sigh and smacked his cheeks a few times before getting back on his feet.

“Sorry Meg. Father called. You know how that goes.”

Meg’s expression softened just a fraction at that. She placed a hand on his shoulder briefly, squeezing it once before letting go. Comfort had never been Meg’s strong suit, but she did her best. It had taken a long time for Zagreus to learn how Meg expressed herself, and he could recognize the subtleties of it all now. She wasn’t one for pity and empty platitudes. When it came to his father, he appreciated it.

“Anything bad?” she asked.

Zagreus shook his head. “No, just dinner with Nyx. Hopefully something to enjoy.”

Meg scoffed at him. “You better enjoy it. You get to stare at your new beau like a goo-goo eyed puppy all you want now.”

“How many times do I have to tell you you’re wrong about that before you believe me?”

She clucked her tongue at him and rolled her eyes. “Whatever Zag, get your ass back out front before I make you.”

Zagreus waggled his eyebrows at that and grinned. “Oh? Will you make me?”

“ _ Zagreus _ .” Oh no. The Manager Voice was out now, which meant he was moments away from death. Time to abscond.

“All right, all right! You’re no fun anymore, Megaera.”

Zagreus dashed out of the room before Meg could throw either words or random objects at him, unable to miss her growl of frustration through the door.

Good enough for him!

The rest of his shift plodded on. Nobody was much interested in coffee at this time of day, turns out. Meg left a few hours after her break, Eurydice not long after her, and Dusa had been on the morning shift today, so that left Zagreus by his lonesome to close up. He took the chance to clean everything while nobody was in the store, pulling cups and plates out of the dishwasher to go back on their respective shelves, wiping down counters, and packing the leftover baked goods to bring home.

His father normally hated when he took the leftovers, insisting they simply be thrown out, but Zagreus couldn’t stand wasting Eurydice’s hard work. Since they were going to be around other people, Zagreus knew his father wouldn’t  _ dare _ tarnish his appearances by arguing with him about it at dinner. He took the small victories where he could, and surely extra treats for dessert wouldn’t go down badly with the others.

He went to lock up at 7pm sharp, turning off the neon sign out front and shutting all the blinds so he could start closing up properly.

“And how were things today with you, boyo? Throw any coffee in anybody’s faces?”

Zagreus turned around and smiled. Their janitor Skelly- a mysterious, stick thin man with sunken eyes and hollow cheeks- always seemed to sneak up on him. He worked hard and made for pleasant evening company with his casual chatter. Zagreus couldn’t complain.

“Alas, no coffee was thrown, Skelly. It was about the same as usual, you know how it goes. Father did call me and I have to be back at his house for dinner, which should be interesting. Family friends will be around though.”

Skelly nodded sagely as he mopped the tiles while Zagreus put the chairs up on all the tables. “Ah, well, I hope you have a good time anyway boyo. Be good to see friends I’m sure! Haven’t seen mine in a while myself.”

Zagreus gave him an incredulous look. He didn’t know much about Skelly, since he had a penchant for making up stories about his past, but he had to admit it was fun to play along with whatever Skelly picked that day. “You have friends, Skelly? Did you meet them in the war?”

“Don’t you know it, boyo! Been fifty years since I last seen them! All of them were haunted by what we saw, I tell you, haunted!”

Skelly whipped his mop in his direction, flinging water across Zagreus’s face, which he dutifully wiped off with a grimace.

“I’m sure, mate. Will you be all right if I leave you to your devices here? Not going to fight any ghosts and mess up the lobby while I’m gone? Father won’t be happy if the store gets covered in ectoplasm you know.”

Skelly squinted at him, jabbing him in the chest with the end of his mop handle. “I make no promises, boyo. Now get outta here and enjoy your dinner, all right?”

“If you insist!” he replied.

Zagreus made his way into the back room to put his apron away and get his coat on, heading out the front to check on Skelly one last time.

“Good night, Skelly!”

“Night boyo!”

He got the door locked once he stepped outside, sighing deeply. He could see his breath hanging in the cool air while he gathered the will to head home, steeling himself for his father.

Zagreus tried to think of the positives. He’d get to see Nyx, Hypnos, and Thanatos, for one. He’d get to have dinner where his father couldn’t say shit to him without making himself look bad, for another. He’d also get to see his dogs, which was the cherry on top of it all, really.

Fine.

He took a deep breath before finally heading to his car to drive over.

Zagreus pulled up onto the street in front of his father’s house, taking another moment to collect his thoughts before he grabbed his box of pastries and headed inside. He didn’t bother to knock; he’d take his little victories now.

Hypnos’s voice was the one to greet him. “Zagreus! Welcome to the house of Hades, non cafe edition!”

“This is technically his house, Hypnos.” Thanatos was here too, his long hair tied back in a ponytail. Zagreus couldn’t decide if he liked it better up or down. The way it framed his face when it was down was gorgeous, contrasting his skin tone and all, but something about it pulled back appealed to him.

Everything was fine!

Zagreus set his coat on a hook by the door and kicked off his shoes before heading into the living room. He didn’t have time to speak before three big, scruffy, rust colored dogs were barking and jumping up on him, making him stumble back. Zagreus laughed and just tried to lift the box of pastries out of their way before trying to pet them all.

“Cerberus! My boys, it’s been so long— yes, I have so many pets to give you—”

Zagreus glanced up for a moment as Thanatos gently grabbed the pastry box from him, leaving to set it in the dining room. Zagreus was more than happy to have both his hands to try and pet all three of his rambunctious dogs, dropping to his knees to let them all lick his face.

“Yes, I missed you so much— my perfect baby boys—”

“It’s too bad you don’t have another set of hands, huh Zag? Only two hands for three dogs seems hard,” Hypnos said.

“The worst!” Zagreus replied.

“I see everything is much the same with you, my child.” Zagreus forced himself back onto his feet when Nyx spoke up. Something about her just made him want to be on his best behavior.

True to form, she pulled a brush out of her dress pocket, combing out his hair. It was for the best this time; whatever shape he’d been in before, Cerberus had done a number on him. He craned his head down so she could get to it all before she pulled back, satisfied.

“It never behaves how it needs to, but I suppose this is better after Cereberus’s assault. It’s good to see you again, Zagreus.”

Zagreus could only grin. “You too, Nyx. Been awhile since you came into the shop, I’ve been missing you.”

“It has been a while, yes. This new palette has been taking up all of my time, unfortunately. I’m grateful to have Thanatos home now to dutifully fetch my drinks for me, but I should be able to return myself soon.”

It was sometimes hard to believe that Nyx was the CEO of her own cosmetics company, but she was very dedicated to her art. He’d been asked to model a few times for her in the early days for promos, and those images had set her on an upward path. He was still rather proud of those first photos, he couldn’t lie, and he was happy for where Nyx had ended up because of it.

“Glad to hear it,” Zagreus replied, “And you! Hypnos! What’s your excuse?”

Hypnos gave him a lazy grin and shrugged. “I dunno. Busy with my own work.”

Thanatos came back into the room then, cutting in, “You don’t work, Hypnos.”

“Staying awake can be hard work all on its own you know! At least for me.”

Thanatos bit back a reply, and Zagreus felt a hint of dread overcome him. He just hoped they could get through dinner without anybody shouting at each other.

Speaking of.

Hades stepped into the room then, all the tension return to Zagreus’s body. Hypnos had the barest of frowns for a moment before letting his lazy smile return to his face; he’d betray nothing for Zag’s sake. Hades loomed over everyone, huffing at them.

“No need to be silent at my appearance. Continue. Dinner will be done in just a moment.”

Hades stepped past them and into the kitchen, not even acknowledging his son, and Zagreus let out a deep breath. He hated coming home.

“I’m told that I failed to inform you of Thanatos’s occupation and that it caused some confusion, my child. For that I apologize,” Nyx said, her soothing voice breaking the silence.

Zagreus laughed and shook his head. “He talked about dressing up bodies and I thought he was trying to be Ed Gein the second. I had no idea why Meg seemed to be so okay with it!”

Hypnos barked a laugh at that, and even Thanatos snorted.

“I wouldn’t put it past Than though,” Hypnos said, “Who knows what he gets up to in that basement!”

Thanatos smacked his brother’s arm with the back of his hand, which only made Hypnos laugh harder. Zagreus couldn’t help but smile; it felt like when they were younger all over again. Thanatos and Hypnos never seemed to get along much, and Zagreus had to admit it took a while for him to get used to Hypnos’s demeanor. He wasn’t so bad, just a bit odd sometimes. He supposed when all you had time to do in a day before falling asleep at random was dredge through the internet it was to be expected.

“As I said before, it would only be giving myself more work. I get to make sure dead people don’t look  _ too _ dead when it comes time for the funeral, and wearing their skins would be rather counterintuitive. Mother’s taught me many things about makeup for it though,” Thanatos said.

Zagreus gave Thanatos an easy smile. What a weird field of work to end up in. “Well, just make sure to make me pretty when father inevitably ends my life for telling him to replace the milk frother again.”

“I heard that, boy,” Hades cut in, sending a glare at his son as he poked his head in from the dining room.

Zagreus spread his arms open in a defensive gesture. “Oh come on father, lighten up.”

Hades frowned at him but decided against arguing for the moment. “Dinner is ready. Follow me.”

They all headed into the dining room, Hades taking the head position at the table. Nyx sat to his right, Hypnos to his left, Zagreus next to Hypnos, and Thanatos next to Nyx. Zagreus appreciated the buffer between him and his father. Being able to see Thanatos was another bonus, since it would make conversation easier.

Just conversation. Megaera was still wrong about everything.

(Even if he couldn’t stop staring at how Than’s hair reflected almost white under the dining room chandelier, or how surprisingly broad his hands were, or how those broad hands moved so delicately and precisely to pick up his fork. Did he handle his work tools with the same elegance?)

They dished up an enormous plate of kleftiko, and Zagreus couldn’t deny that he liked when his father made it. It was always hard to pass up lamb growing up. Food was also one of the only times they managed to get along, just a little. His father still insisted Zagreus didn’t know much of anything, of course, but was quick to be silent when his son made something good. He’d take that.

Everybody was quiet as they ate for a few moments before Hades cleared his throat and turned to Thanatos. “You’ve been away for a long time, Thanatos. What’s brought you back to this corner of the world?”

“I missed being home I think,” Thanatos said, “I enjoyed my time in the city, but being away from everybody wore on me after a while. There’s a surprising amount of childish drama in city funeral homes that I didn’t have the patience for anymore either.”

Zagreus raised his eyebrows at that. “How do you have drama in a funeral home exactly?”

Thanatos rolled his eyes at the thought, shaking his head. “Who gets to make up the celebrities, who gets forced to do all the grunt work, petty interpersonal things that shouldn’t be coming up at all, the ethics of the director. More than I care for.”

Zagreus barked an incredulous laugh. It felt so unbelievable, but it was almost comforting to know that even funeral homes could be such lively places. He caught Thanatos smiling at him, a slight flush to his cheeks. It looked good on him.

“I trust director Ares is much more pleasant to work under, my child?” Nyx asked.

Thanatos grimaced. “Well… We remain professional, and he lets me do my work in peace. His practices are a little… aggressive? But so long as I can do my job and get paid what I’m owed, I suppose that’s all I can really ask. It’s less interpersonal stress at least.”

“Good that you remain grateful for what you have,” Hades said, throwing a cutting glance at Zagreus.

Zagreus bit the inside of his cheek to hold back from responding, looking back at Thanatos instead. He felt Hypnos bump his foot in solidarity and let out a breath.

“Sounds like you’re pretty busy, Than. Do you have time to get out much?” asked Zagreus.

“Not yet. I’m still settling into a new routine now that I’m back, but I’ll get there. I don’t know that I have many people to go out with for the moment anyway.” He shrugged.

Zagreus grinned at that. “Could always come hang out with me and Meg! She manages to keep me in check most of the time.”

Thanatos’ smile grew at that. “Perhaps. From what I understand we’d just end up gently bullying you the entire time.”

“Not you too!” Zagreus laughed.

Nyx and Hades began engaging in conversation off to the side, Hypnos seeming to have fallen asleep in his chair. It was just Zagreus and Thanatos talking to each other now, which felt nice. They hadn’t been very close as kids, and after Than left to go off to all his fancy smart kid schools they didn’t keep in touch. Hopefully now they could finally get to know each other.

If for no other reason than friendship. Zagreus was always willing to make room in his circle.

Everybody chatted more until it was time for dessert when Thanatos fetched the box of pastries that Zagreus had brought over. Hades gruffed about it for a moment, but Nyx seemed grateful.

“I’m glad you brought these, Zagreus. I’ve missed Eurydice’s hard work. That there were still chocolate croissants left feels like both a blessing and a crime.”

Zagreus nodded in affirmation. “I’ll say! But more for us at least.”

Hypnos started awake just in time to grab the last cheese danish, promptly stuffing his face. Thanatos huffed at him and took one of the cookies, humming thoughtfully.

Everybody ate quietly once more until the evening began to wind down. Zagreus got up to get his coat back on, eager to leave before his father had time to shout at him about something, Thanatos following him close behind. They shared a glance before Zagreus looked back into the dining room.

“I’m going to head home for the night now! Thank you for dinner, Father. It was good seeing you Nyx, Hypnos. I expect you to come see me soon!”

“Try to not waste too much time at work, Zagreus,” Hades said.

If that was as scathing as it got tonight he’d take it.

“Yes, Father. All right, be seeing you all,” Zagreus said.

Thanatos spoke then. “I’ll be leaving as well, Mother, good night. Mister Hades… Hypnos.”

Zagreus gave his dogs a few last pets before the two of them headed out the door. Zagreus let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding once the cold night air hit his face. Somehow he’d survived the occasion.

He glanced over when Thanatos placed a hand on his arm, just briefly. He felt all the tension melt out of him at the warm touch and his shoulders sagged.

“You doing all right Zag? I don’t recall you and your father getting along too well.”

Zagreus smiled and turned to face him. “Yeah, thanks, mate. That was a pretty pleasant visit, all things considered. It was nice getting to chat with you for more than ten minutes too.”

“Yes, I enjoyed that,” replied Thanatos, “Once I get myself sorted I’d be happy to hang out with you and Meg as well. I’ve missed seeing her.”

“I’m sure she’d like that too, Than. Oh! Let me get your number-- makes organizing all that a lot easier. Then we can bother each other while we’re  _ both _ working too.”

Zagreus could feel Megaera’s piercing stare from miles away the second the words fell out of his mouth. He’d hear about it at work soon enough, surely.

Thanatos laughed and nodded. “Sure thing, Zag. Here--”

They exchanged numbers and Zagreus felt a flutter of something inside of him. He couldn’t say what, really. Maybe he was just excited to finally be able to talk to his friend more often now.

“Well, I’ll see you later, Zagreus. Good night.”

“Good night, Than. See you soon.”

Zagreus watched Thanatos go, admiring his shape under the street lamps before he headed back to his car. He stared up at the roof for a long moment, contemplating everything about Thanatos. How he’d looked that evening, how easy talking to him felt, how he felt pulled toward this man he’d only just reconnected with.

There was a slight possibility that Meg was right, maybe.

He certainly wouldn’t tell her any time soon, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zagreus will Realize eventually, I promise! As before, constructive feedback is definitely welcome if you've got any, otherwise I hope you all enjoyed!


	3. Oh no

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things start picking up just a bit in this one! Enjoy.
> 
> Thanks again to Eli and Kes for the betas.

Zagreus had the early shift again today, his absolute least favorite. He loved coffee, but getting up at 4am all the time to make it wore on his soul.

Lately, though, it wasn’t so bad. Thanatos had made a routine out of coming to the cafe in the mornings before he went off to work himself, catching up with him and the rest of the House of Hades crew. Zagreus enjoyed it a lot. It resulted in a lot of pointed stares from Meg if she was working with him, but he’d learned how to ignore them over these past few weeks.

Still, it made him happy to know that Thanatos kept making time in his busy day to see him. He came in at roughly the same time every day now, so Zagreus was taking the chance to prepare his drink early, with a special twist.

Zagreus’s mentor Achilles had just retired from the shop. Achilles taught him everything he knew, always remarking about how Zagreus was well on his way to surpassing him. It felt like blasphemy to even consider that in Zagreus’s books, but Achilles was always very encouraging.

Still, Achilles was a master of latte art, even winning competitions off of it before. Zagreus had been eager to learn all of his techniques and Achilles had been eager to teach everything he knew. Zagreus didn’t indulge in latte art frequently since it took so much time, but for friends and people he wanted to impress? He would absolutely pull out all the stops.

Today, that was Thanatos.

Thanatos had sent him a photo of his pet rat Mort just the other day. He was an adorable, fat, grey thing that Than had spent ages gushing about. It felt right to capture him in coffee for his newfound friend.

Zagreus spent a long moment contemplating how to pull off Mort’s visage with the milk foam, which densities he’d need to hold it all together, and the concentration of the espresso he’d need to keep the drink balanced. Once he had it sorted in his head he began the work, grabbing one of the big cups off the shelf so he had plenty of room for the design. Meg peeked over his shoulder to see what he was doing and she scoffed.

“Really, Zagreus? And here I thought you were trying the subtle approach for once.”

Zagreus rolled his eyes. “Now really, Megaera, can’t I make a latte for a friend without the jeering? I’ve made them for everybody!”

“Sure, you could make a latte without my comments, but that would be less fun for me wouldn’t it?”

There was the barest hint of a smile on Meg’s face; for all her teasing, she did seem happy that he’d been chatting so much with Thanatos. Even if she was still wrong and they were definitely still  _ just _ friends.

Zagreus decided to ignore her while he worked, carefully pouring and shaping the foam with two different spoons and using a needle tool to draw out the face and whiskers with espresso powder. All in all it came out pretty adorable, if limited by the nature of the medium. He just hoped Thanatos would come by before it all melted into a pale brown mess. Zagreus took a picture of it with his phone just to be safe, then turned back to the door to keep an eye out for Than.

Zagreus was in the middle of a transaction when Thanatos came in a few minutes later, so he didn’t notice him immediately. He felt Meg kick him in the shin as she walked behind him to start the drink order he’d taken and he hissed in pain, turning to glare at her. After he made his feelings known he turned back, immediately feeling all the air get sucked out of his lungs.

Than cut his hair.

Zagreus knew he was staring, felt his lips part in his complete shock, but he couldn’t look away. All that long, beautiful hair was gone, cut just under his ears.

Than had looked amazing with long hair, but short like this? It was something to behold. Zagreus could see more of his face, from how sharp his jawline was, to how his high cheekbones made the hollows of his cheeks look so deep. It was like he was seeing Than’s face for the first time again, and he couldn’t help but admire its utter elegance.

Maybe he did feel some things for his childhood friend after all.

Zagreus managed to stammer out, “Than-? When did this happen?”

Zagreus was finally able to focus on Thanatos as a whole after he spluttered something out, and he could see how red Than’s face was, how shy he looked. Zagreus immediately felt guilty about it all.

“I guess I forgot to tell you,” Thanatos replied, grabbing at a lock of hair from the front of his head awkwardly, “Had an accident at work last night with a broken bottle of formaldehyde, didn't have showers to wash things off with, panicked a bit. Decided to just cut it all off in the moment. I’m sure it looks terrible.”

Zagreus couldn’t comprehend how to tell Thanatos that he looked completely stunning without coming on too strong, and he scrambled in his mind for anything he could possibly say to placate him.

“Don’t you have an aunt that can help with stuff like that, Zag?” Megaera asked.

Meg was the best friend he could possibly ask for, really. A wonderful woman whom he would die for.

Zagreus hadn’t spoken to his aunt much lately, only able to handle her in meted out doses, but she’d be perfect for this. He just hoped she still took walk-in appointments.

“Yes! My aunt Aphrodite is a hairdresser, Than, I’m sure she could help you fix up your hair if you don’t like it. I think short suits you, for what it’s worth,” Zagreus said.

Thanatos sighed, contemplating the offer before eventually nodding. “I think I could do with some professional help in this area, yes. Thank you, Zagreus.”

“Of course, Than. Glad you’re okay though, I’m sure you have to work with some nasty chemicals and… stuff,” Zagreus replied awkwardly.

“Indeed. Turns out carcinogens are the best body preservatives known to man. Better formaldehyde than arsenic like in the old days, I guess.”

Zagreus was too stunned by this revelation, failing to notice Meg coming to kick his other shin. He bit his cheek and turned to look at her with wide eyes of frustration. She scowled back at him nodded her head towards the latte he’d made earlier, thankfully only just starting to melt.

Once again, Meg was his best friend and he would do anything for her.

“Oh, Than, mate! I almost forgot, I have a surprise for you,” Zagreus said, sliding the latte across the counter and into Than’s view, “La petite Mort.”

Thanatos raised his eyebrows in surprise, carefully picking up the mug to admire it. Zagreus felt himself beaming from how shocked Thanatos was.

“Zag, what is this? You made latte art of my rat?” asked Thanatos.

“Exactly. I don’t do it often, but I wanted to surprise you. Mort’s too cute to not turn into coffee.”

Thanatos was quiet for a long while, examining the mug before trying to take a photo of it before the foam got too misshapen. A smile started to creep on his face as he took photos, huffing a shy laugh. Zagreus felt his ears getting warm at the expression. Truly, he’d become weak for Thanatos.

“This is special, Zag… Thank you. It looks amazing. I… feel guilty about drinking it, I think,” said Thanatos.

Zagreus waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. Everything about the art of coffee is temporary. I made it to be enjoyed, so please do.”

Thanatos looked up at him for a moment before he finally willed himself to drink his latte, tilting the cup as carefully as possible. He hummed thoughtfully, nodding once. “Good stuff, Zag. Not that I’m surprised, really…”

Zagreus just grinned back at him, flush returning to his cheeks. “I’m glad. My shift ends in a couple hours if you want me to bring you to my aunt, but… do you have work today?”

“Day off, thankfully. I can hang out until you’re free, if you’re cool with it,” Thanatos replied.

Zagreus wasn’t sure how to handle being around Than for two more hours now that he’d had this revelation around his attraction, considering how flustered he was feeling right now. At the same time, it meant more time to admire him and drink in his new look. If he stared too much, then Meg was likely to do a number on his shins by the time his shift was over though. Was it worth it?

Being able to stare at his new crush like a grade schooler ended up winning out in the end.

“Of course! It’s nice having friends hang out sometimes. Makes the work go by quicker and all. Just shout if you want anything else,” Zagreus said.

“Sure,” Than replied, “Oh, what do I owe you for this by the way?”

Zagreus smiled back at him. “Well, it just so happens we have a special today on latte art that makes it on the house. Secret menu, have to take my word for it.”

Thanatos gave him a withering look, but Zagreus stood strong. He’d never make any of his friends pay for his art and experiments if he could help it.

“Well, fine, but I’ll have to get you back for this Zagreus. Just you wait.”

“I look forward to it, Thanatos.”

Thanatos gruffed at him and turned to find a seat near the back, but not before Zagreus caught how pink his cheeks were. It looked  _ adorable _ on him. Zagreus wanted to figure out how to get Thanatos to blush like that as often as possible.

He managed to not make a complete moron of himself over the rest of his shift, his shins thankfully unmarred via Meg’s mercy. There were a lot of  _ pointed _ looks, though. Meg did have her limits, and it was understandable. Zagreus certainly felt utterly insufferable, and he wasn’t the one having to put up with him.

The moment Dusa walked into the cafe Zagreus logged out of the register, managing to cheer  _ only _ internally.

“So glad you’re here, Dusa,” said Meg, catching Dusa’s attention, “We have a lot to discuss about our coworkers today.”

Dusa grinned back at Meg brightly. “Oh, can’t wait to hear about it Meg! Give me just a second!”

Dusa rushed into the back to clock in, and Zagreus turned towards Meg, putting a hand on his hip and mustering the most disapproving look he could.

“Now should the manager be talking about her employees behind their back, Megaera?” asked Zagreus.

“The manager can do whatever she wants, Zagreus. Now get out of here and go bother your aunt with your puppy eyes. I’ve had enough of you,” she replied, swatting at him repeatedly until he finally left for the back room.

She could be convincing when she wanted to, that Meg.

Zagreus finished getting out of his uniform and made his way into the lobby again. Thanatos was on his phone, and Zagreus caught a glimpse of him watching a video of a bald, pink skinned cat with enormous blue eyes.

He had to admit he hadn’t pinned Thanatos as somebody who enjoyed cat videos. Clearly, there was a lot left to learn about him.

“Ready to get your hair fixed?” he finally asked, placing a hand on Than’s shoulder to get his attention.

Thanatos looked up at him and nodded, smiling as he got to his feet. “Thank you for this, by the way… I’d been wanting to get it cut for a while, but I didn’t really expect avoiding poison to play into it.”

“Well, like I said, I think it looks good on you,” Zagreus said, “But hopefully Aphrodite can help you think so too.”

They had to take separate cars and Zagreus tried to shove down his utter dismay over it, but they reunited promptly outside of  _ Salon Olympus _ . There were garish marble pillars framing the entryway, sunset skies with gold clouds painted all over the front visage. Zagreus only just managed to contain his grimace

“I promise her taste in hair isn’t reflected in her choice of decor,” he said, giving Thanatos an apologetic look.

“It certainly makes a statement. I trust your judgement though. Lead the way,” Than replied.

They stepped into the salon, greeted by the sound of hair dryers and the smell of hairspray. The cloud motif from outside continued on the walls here, the flooring bright white marble with flecks of glitter. His aunt, truly, had made some  _ choices _ .

He glanced around the booths until he finally spotted his aunt in the back, bright pink hair almost blending in with the warm colored walls. She had a pale yellow tank top and denim shorts on, black apron full of her tools of the trade over it all. Aphrodite gave Zagreus a sly smile, mischievous glint in her eye, and he waved at her awkwardly.

“Auntie Aphrodite, there you are,” Zagreus said.

Aphrodite positively cooed, “Oh, Zagreus, dearest! It’s been a while. Who’s this  _ fine _ specimen you brought me?”

Thanatos rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, wincing a bit as he felt the short, choppy hairs there. Zagreus could tell he seemed a bit overwhelmed by everything, especially as Aphrodite walked up to them.

“Auntie, this is Thanatos. He had an emergency at work and had to cut his hair off, and was hoping you might be able to fix it up for him,” said Zagreus.

Aphrodite hummed in thought and looked Thanatos over, whose cheeks were going bright red under her scrutiny. She walked around him to examine every angle of his hair and clucked her tongue in disapproval.

“I can tell you were in a rush, dearest, but fear not! You have such a lovely natural color, I’m sure I can make you feel as handsome as you are, Thanatos” she said, combing her fingers through his hair to examine it more.

Zagreus could tell Thanatos seemed rather put off by Aphrodite, but she knew what she was doing, and he’d stand by as an anchor point.

“I’m sure I’m in good hands, Aphrodite,” said Thanatos, “The damage has been done and it’s short now, so whatever you think might suit me with what I’ve got left.”

Aphrodite positively beamed at that. “Oh, whatever I want huh? You’ve made me  _ very _ happy indeed.”

“I’m sure you won’t regret that decision at all, Than,” Zagreus laughed, and Aphrodite squinted at him. He was quick to shut up after that. His aunt could be scarier than Meg when she wanted to be.

“Anyway! Let’s get you in a chair and figure out what to do with this mess you’ve made,” she chirped.

Zagreus sat nearby and scrolled through his phone while Than and his aunt discussed what they were going to do. Than seemed to be relaxing a bit as they actually made progress, and Zagreus knew his friend was in good hands with Aphrodite.

Eventually she brought out the spray bottle, wetting Than’s hair and combing through it before starting to snip away, using her fingers to measure out what length she did want to keep. Zagreus tried to not watch too much; he wanted to be surprised by the final result.

When Aphrodite brought out the clippers he did get a bit nervous, glancing at Than’s face. His head was tilted down so his aunt had a better angle to work, but he seemed relaxed. Thanatos was a bit hard to read sometimes because of how stoic he was. Even still, Zagreus was starting to pick up on the subtleties of his expression. He’d be fine.

Eventually, Aphrodite sang, “It’s done now! What do you think, Thanatos dear?”

Zagreus looked up from his phone right as Thanatos glanced at himself in the mirror, and Zagreus felt his heart stop.  _ Oh no. _

The back and sides of Than’s hair were shaved shorter, and the top was longer. Aphrodite was working some kind of wax through his hair to help it look purposely messy, stuck up every which way in its own carefully constructed manner, a few strands hanging down the center of his face. Zagreus took in the contrast of Than’s pale hair and lashes against his brown skin, and as he stared, he found those golden eyes looking directly at him.

“Well, Zag? What’s the report?” Thanatos asked.

Zagreus noted the slight flush to Than’s cheeks, how one of his hands was fidgeting with the arm of the chair he was in. He hadn’t expected Thanatos to be the anxious type; he had to say something!

“I, well Than… I think you look stunning,” Zagreus said plainly, “You did an amazing job, auntie.”

Despite speaking to his aunt Zagreus couldn’t take his eyes off of Thanatos, who was still staring right back at him. Zagreus’s throat felt completely dry, all comprehension of the English language beginning to leave him. He had to resist every urge in his body to run his fingers through that scruffy, short hair, had to bite his tongue to hold back everything he wanted to say.

In this moment he felt  _ painfully _ bisexual and  _ woefully _ repressed.

Thanatos opened his mouth to say something, but Aphrodite cut in before he could. “Of course I did a good job! I have to treat my dearest nephew and his new boy toy with the utmost care, you know.”

Zagreus and Thanatos whirled around and spoke at the same time. “Boy toy?”

Aphrodite only giggled and undid the hairdressing bib around Than’s neck before skipping back to the front door, Zagreus following quickly on her heels so he wouldn’t have to stew with the term “boy toy” for too long. Thanatos seemed to be glued to his chair for a moment more before he remembered himself and followed the both of them.

“No need to worry about payment by the way, Thanatos, seeing my dear nephew again is all I need! Just make sure to style it with that wax I showed you or you’ll be living with dreadful bedhead all the time,” Aphrodite cooed.

A crooked smile crossed Than’s face, and Zagreus was doing everything he could to not make the same expression.

“Thank you, Aphrodite,” Thanatos replied, “You certainly did a much better job than I managed. Pretty excited to not have to brush it out every morning now.”

“Going short is always so fun if for no other reason than convenience! You seem the type to enjoy that. But he looks so very handsome now, wouldn’t you agree, Zagreus?” Aphrodite asked.

Zagreus felt his face go hot, meeting Than’s eyes again. “Now I think I did already mention that he looks good—”

“The word was stunning, dearest, but yes. Well, all right, you’re all set. You two loverboys enjoy yourselves! Ta-ta now,” she sang, gently guiding them to the door before unceremoniously shoving them outside.

They both stumbled out the door, spending a moment together in stunned silence. Zagreus had a lump in his throat, still overwhelmed by Than’s new look and by his aunt’s words. When he looked over, Than’s brows were knit together, probably feeling the same mix of confusion he was.

Zagreus decided to finally break the silence by clearing his throat and speaking.

“Well, Than, um… I’m so sorry about all this, but I hope you at least like your hair a bit better now.”

Thanatos sighed and looked back at him. “It’s all right Zag, I’m not bothered by it. I’ve got a lot to consider now, I think. That and some shopping for hair wax, I guess. Hair’s been long for ages, I think it’ll take some getting used to, but at least somebody likes it while I’m catching up.”

Than gave him the smallest of smiles, but it was enough to make Zagreus’s stomach flip. He wanted more of that look directed at him, forever.

“Good, I was worried for a minute there… I suppose I’ll talk to you later then?”

“Of course,” Than replied, “Be seeing you, Zag.”

Zagreus hesitated for a moment, debating if he should give in to the urge to step closer to Than, but he felt himself moving before he could really come to a decision. He wrapped his arms around Thanatos in a tight hug, who squeezed back briefly before letting go.

“Later, Thanatos.”

Thanatos smiled gently before Zagreus rushed off to his car, feeling his ears starting to burn as he got inside.

Suddenly Zagreus had a lot to think about as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short! Hair! Than!! Specifically, the one from the top right of the first image in this set by bunnyclvb on twitter because I'm gay and weak: twitter.com/bunnyclvb/status/1339047608694685697
> 
> Also Zagreus finally realizing he's a disaster with a crush! Things should be picking up a bit more on that front now. I hope you all enjoyed and are looking forward to the next part. <:


	4. Wonderful Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a bit longer than I would've liked to get done, but it's on time! Yay!
> 
> Thanks again to Eli and Kes for beta reading.

Even on his days off, Zagreus still managed to wake up way earlier than he wanted to, but it was nice to see the sunrise sometimes. When he was making the switch to his late week? Not great.

He rolled over in bed to grab his phone off his nightstand, checking the time.

7:23am.

Waking up this early was always a bit difficult because nobody else was up at this time. Zagreus felt understimulated when he couldn’t interact with anybody. He scrolled through his recent conversations, thinking about who he could bother.

Hypnos would likely not respond until well past noon, Meg would get mad at him if he woke her up, Dusa was probably busy with work…

Thanatos was up fairly early most days. Thanatos seemed to like talking with him, generally. It would probably be fine?

Zagreus had to be honest with himself, though. He’d felt a bit awkward since he brought Than to his aunt. Than hadn’t brought any of it up, and he definitely didn’t want to really talk about it either. He was still reeling from the encounter days later, ruminating over Than’s words.

_“I’ve got a lot to consider now, I think.”_

What was that supposed to _mean,_ Thanatos?

Zagreus decided he’d wait a little while before contemplating that and go check on his snake instead. He threw the covers off of his bed and made his way over to the long table set against the wall that had his vivarium. His two headed ball python, Lernie, was already awake and trying to climb up against the glass.

“Cheeky thing… You can’t escape you know, mate, much as you try.”

Lernie’s two heads only wiggled as he tried to climb up before finally giving up and settling down on his substrate, sunning himself under the heat of his lamp.

“Well Lernie, I suppose you want to be fed now, don’t you? Give me a moment.”

Lernie’s heads only stared back at him with beady black eyes, unmoving.

Zagreus got up and made his way to his kitchen, getting his kettle going so he could have hot water for his coffee. He dug through the freezer so he could start thawing Lernie’s food out, setting it aside on the counter while he waited for his kettle. He pulled his phone out and stared at his recent texts again before he sighed and finally gave in and messaged Thanatos.

 **Zagreus** (7:38 am):  
Hey Than, guess who’s up way too early?

Zagreus set his phone aside then. Than always seemed to be busy with something or other, it would be a while before he got any kind of reply, surely.

Despite his worries, his phone buzzed almost immediately.

 **Thanatos** (7:39 am):  
Definitely me. It’s my day off and you’re not even working so I can get coffee

 **Zagreus** (7:39 am):  
Dusa’s working though! Her coffee is still good

 **Thanatos** (7:40am):  
Sure. Still not quite the same as from you, I think

Zagreus felt like his brain was going to short circuit and shoot out of his ears. _What does that_ mean, _Thanatos?_

 **Zagreus** (7:41am):  
Oh yeah? I should probably get around to finally giving you a bag of your own roast then. Then you can have it when I’m not working!

 **Thanatos** (7:42am):  
Really? That’s too lavish a gift, I think. It must be a lot of work to make custom coffee for somebody

 **Zagreus** (7:42am):  
Sort of? It’s really picking the right base beans to work with. You can do small batches in a popcorn popper even. You should come over some time so I can show you

Zagreus set his phone aside, checking on Lernie’s food to make sure it was the right temperature before bringing it back to the vivarium. He dropped it in the tank, watching as the right head immediately lashed out to bite into it, swallowing down after a few moments.

He really got lucky with Lernie. Two headed snakes frequently had problems by nature of how they existed, but Lernie at least couldn’t fight himself. He only had one stomach too, so it made it easy to make sure he was being cared for properly.

“All right, Lernie, that’s it for the next two weeks, so you enjoy yourself.”

Once more, Lernie’s beady little eyes stared back at him before he slithered back into his log to hide away.

“Oh, be that way then,” Zagreus gruffed.

Zagreus went back into his kitchen to check on his kettle, setting up his french press and letting his coffee steep for a moment before he went to check his phone again.

Than hadn’t replied yet, which seemed a bit weird. Instead he found a message from Dusa, which was even weirder. Zagreus was usually the one initiating conversations with Dusa, who was always too nervous to talk to him normally.

 **Dusa** (7:57am):  
Hey Zagreus! I just found out there’s a rock show downtown today which is TOTALLY exciting. Would you be willing to go with me?? You can invite whoever you want too, I don’t mind!!! :D

Zagreus couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows at that. He hadn’t pegged Dusa as somebody who enjoyed that kind of music. He did want to hang out with her more, and he hadn’t been to a concert in ages. It sounded fun.

 **Zagreus** (7:59am):  
Dusa! I’d love to go to a rock show with you. What band is it?

 **Dusa** (8:01am):  
Oh! Oh no!!! Not that kind of rock show, one for actual rocks. From the ground and stuff? Shiny ones!!

Zagreus felt himself flush with embarrassment reading Dusa’s message. He probably should’ve known Dusa would be big into actual rocks.

 **Zagreus** (8:01am):  
Oh! That would make much more sense. I’d still like to go to a rock show with you, Dusa. Have you invited anybody else?

 **Dusa** (8:02am):  
I asked Meg and she said yes! Whoever else you want to bring is fine by me. Maybe Thanatos??? :)

Zagreus’ face burned even hotter at that, feeling the warmth extending up to his ears. Not Dusa making fun of him too! It was too much.

 **Zagreus** (8:02am):  
Maybe!!! I might invite Hypnos too, if you remember him. He’ll probably wake up when you get off work anyway.

 **Dusa** (8:03am):  
Sure, sure, whoever. Just tell them to meet us at the stadium at 12:30, okay?? Break is almost over so I gotta go!!! See you :)

Zagreus sighed deeply before flipping back to his conversation with Than, who _still_ hadn’t replied to him. What was the deal with that anyway?

Still, he wanted to see Thanatos. Hanging out with friends was always low pressure, so he hoped it wouldn’t come across as too weird or forward. He’d love some more alone time together, but after the _incident_ with Aphrodite it seemed better for them to be in a group setting for now.

 **Zagreus** (8:05am):  
Hey Than, Dusa invited me to go look at rocks at the stadium at 12:30, wanna join us?

There. Casual. Calm. It would be fine.

He switched over to texting Hypnos then. Than didn’t seem to be the biggest fan of his brother still, but Zagreus enjoyed Hypnos’ company at least.

 **Zagreus** (8:06am):  
Hypnos! Come look at rocks with me at the stadium at like noon. I’ll pick you up. Meg and Dusa are gonna be there, maybe Thanatos if he ever replies.

Zagreus wasn’t expecting any kind of reply until the last minute with Hypnos, so he turned his attention back to his coffee, finally pouring his cup out to enjoy. He sipped at it and ruminated over his proposal to Than, going over the different kinds of beans he had in his pantry. Surely there had to be something Than might like, right? Maybe his special Costa Rican beans… He hadn’t let anybody try the Costa Rican beans but himself, since they were so damn expensive. He could make an exception for Thanatos.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when his phone buzzed with a reply from Than. His stomach knotted itself up immediately with anxiety. Hopefully he’d be able to join.

 **Thanatos** (8:10am):  
What kind of rocks exactly?

Well, it wasn’t a no at least.

 **Zagreus** (8:10am):  
“Shiny ones!!” as they were described to me.

 **Thanatos** (8:11am):  
Well, shiny rocks are certainly fun to look at. Sure, I’ll join you. Will it just be you and Dusa?

 **Zagreus** (8:11am):  
Don’t worry, Meg will also be there so you can both “gently bully” me, as you said. I invited Hypnos too, but who knows if he’ll wake up in time to respond.

There was a pause before Thanatos replied again, which made Zagreus bite his lip in anticipation. Surely him and Hypnos didn’t get along _that_ badly, right?

 **Thanatos** (8:15am):  
I’ll see if I can’t wake him up myself. I’m sure mother wouldn’t mind me visiting for a while anyway.

 **Thanatos** (8:15am):  
What will you be up to until it’s time to look at shiny rocks?

 **Zagreus** (8:16am):  
Trying to get my snake to love me, probably.

 **Thanatos** (8:16am):  
I’m sure at least one of his heads enjoys your company. Have you ever tested to find out?

 **Zagreus** (8:17am):  
I have, I think Lefty likes me more honestly. Righty got to eat today though, so I’m sure Lefty is upset with me.

 **Thanatos** (8:18am):  
The woes of reptile ownership. Should’ve got a rat instead, Zag.

They texted back and forth all throughout the morning, Zagreus only pausing when he made his breakfast. He had the biggest, dumbest grin on his face the whole time, his face was warm, and he felt overwhelmed in the best of ways. He couldn’t wait to spend some time with Than, hopefully with no unsubtle jabs from friends or family. Just once?

Eventually Than ended their conversation, heading over to Nyx’s to get Hypnos. Zagreus took the time to desperately look through his wardrobe for anything that wouldn’t make him look like a dumb jock, which was supremely difficult. Than hadn’t seen Zagreus outside of his work uniform since he got back, and he had to impress. Tank tops with giant arm holes and basketball shorts just wasn’t going to cut it today, not for this totally-not-a-date-it’s-fine.

It was a _little_ bit of a date though, wasn’t it?

Zagreus eventually settled on a deep red tank top with much more modest arm holes and some black jeans torn around the knees. He didn’t want to _not_ look like himself, exactly, but definitely a more presentable version. Was that so wrong?

He grabbed a dark jacket to go over it all, being that they were deep into the fall season now, and looked at himself in the mirror. He supposed he looked more punk than jock today. He got the feeling that Than liked that style.

Finally, he felt ready.

He glanced down when his phone buzzed in his pocket, surprised to see it was Hypnos who had messaged him.

 **Hypnos** (12:02pm):  
Look, I appreciate the invitation and all, but I’m not really interested in getting out of bed to be fifth wheel today! You have fun with my brother though ;)

 **Zagreus** (12:03pm):  
I have absolutely no idea what you mean

The only thing he got back was a shaky photo of Hypnos supposedly flipping off Thanatos, who looked less than pleased. He couldn’t help but laugh; at least this seemed to be a more friendly, familiar irritation. He’d take that.

But wait a minute.

 **Zagreus** (12:04pm):  
What do you mean fifth wheel?

Zagreus waited a moment to see if Hypnos would respond before he huffed and locked up to head out to the stadium. He waited out in front, glancing at his phone every so often in case he got any messages about delays. He was definitely a bit early, but all of his friends were extremely punctual. Whether it was because they were just neurotic, very professional at all times, or both was hard to say. Regardless, they were very timely.

He spotted Thanatos approaching first, and he felt his cheeks heat up. Than was in a black turtleneck and black jeans, which notably did _not_ have the knees missing. He looked good, and it made his pale hair stand out even more. It still looked fresh and sharp from his haircut, styled immaculately.

Than was so _fucking_ gorgeous and Zagreus was so _fucking_ dead.

Thanatos came up to him and smiled warmly. “Hey Zag. Are we the first ones here?”

“I think so, yes. Couldn’t convince Hypnos to come along then?”

Thanatos rolled his eyes and Zagreus couldn’t help but snicker, making the corners of Than’s mouth turn up. “I told him you wanted him to come along but he said no in the most annoying way possible.”

“What’s the most annoying way to say no?”

Thanatos rolled his eyes again. “Let’s not discuss that… we’re here to look at rocks, then?”

“So it seems,” Zagreus replied, “Just need Dusa and Meg to show up I think.”

Dusa called out to them then, “Right here Zagreus!”

They both turned to greet Meg and Dusa, and Dusa seemed to be very bouncy in particular. “I’m so ready to look around! Do you guys have any idea what you might want? Jewelry? Keepsakes? Display pieces? Oh, oh! Gems or fossils? Or maybe actual rocks?”

Zagreus felt his eyebrows go up from the sheer number of questions he was hit with, and he was glad when Than replied to her in his stead. “Perhaps a gift or two… my mother does like jewelry.”

Dusa and Than started chatting about what they were looking for before heading inside, leaving Meg and Zagreus trailing behind.

“So, Zag… anything happen with Than this morning?” Meg asked.

“Well, he went very quiet after I said he should come over so I can custom roast him his own batch of coffee… Not sure why,” replied Zagreus, “I thought it was a pretty harmless invite… but things have been awkward since the haircut.”

Meg replied, “Well, your aunt is something… But making somebody their own custom coffee seems pretty forward too, don’t you think?”

They stepped into the building, Dusa already having dragged Than ahead to a table that was full of polished opals. They could hear Dusa listing off their properties and discussing each place the opals were found. Zagreus couldn’t help but smile at that before turning back to Meg.

“Is it too forward? I don’t know… I’ve made custom roasts for everybody but him at this point. Even Hypnos managed to stay awake when I made his! That was nothing short of a miracle,” he sighed before continuing, “But he seemed willing to come along to this… I figured if it was awkward, having you and Dusa would make it less so.”

“Thoughtful of you, Zag. I remember Than being very career driven, somebody who kept to himself a lot… I don’t know if he’s dated much, really. He just might not know what to do,” Meg mused, shrugging casually, “He did say he had a lot to think about, right?”

“He did… I hope he doesn’t think I’m pressuring him,” he replied.

He sighed deeply and ran a hand back through his shaggy mess of hair, and Meg gently put a hand on his shoulder. “Give him some time, Zag. I’m sure he’ll let you know. Than’s pretty straight forward, if nothing else.”

“You’re right, Meg… thanks. Let’s catch up with these two then, it looks like Dusa’s talking his ear off.”

“At least it’s informative,” Meg replied dryly.

They caught up to Than and Dusa, going this way and that looking at all the different booths. There were fossil ammonites that shone with rainbows, enormous hunks of crystal that cost an exorbitant amount of money, and fine handmade jewelry pieces. They found beads, baubles, and bundles of unpolished gems fresh from the earth. There really was everything.

Zagreus ended up at a booth of antique jewelry pieces with Than, looking over the wide array of brooches.

“I feel like your mother would love everything here,” Zagreus said.

Than laughed in reply, “Yes, probably. She does like her big stones… I’ll find something I’m sure.”

They looked over everything quietly, Zagreus eventually picking up a brooch with tarnished brass metal and deep purple stones in the shape of a butterfly.

“Tanzanite, that one,” the salesperson said, “Really nice stones, from the 20s too!”

Zagreus examined it a bit closer before turning it over, barely containing his grimace at the price. It wasn’t unfair for what it was, but being a barista at your father’s coffee shop (not even the bloody manager!) only got you so far monetarily.

“It is pretty… But I don’t think I can swing that. Thank you anyways!” he said, trying to be cheery about it. The salesperson was not impressed nonetheless.

Thanatos hummed at the interaction, glancing at the brooch before Zagreus placed it back in its box. Zagreus caught his eye, tilting his head.

“Purple seems a bit more like your color, don’t you think Than?”

Thanatos blinked back at him before looking down at the brooch again, shrugging.

“A bit, maybe… Let’s move on though,” he replied, putting a hand on Zagreus’s arm and leading him to another booth, “Red seems like your color, honestly… goes nice with both your eye colors.”

Zagreus blushed at that. Than paid close enough attention to him to know what colors were good for him?

Than also hadn’t stopped touching his arm. He could feel the warmth from his fingertips permeating through his jacket and into his skin. The spot felt like it was on _fire_.

“I suppose it does! I do like purple though… Maybe it just reminds me of your mom’s necklaces though. Purple is _definitely_ her color,” Zagreus said.

Than nodded in affirmation, finally taking his hand off of Zagreus and pulling out his phone to rapidly text somebody. Did Than not want to be around him anymore?

“Absolutely,” Than finally said, “Is there anything you might like to find here?”

Zagreus felt a bit thrown by the sudden change of subject and how strange Than was acting, but he wanted to keep spending one on one time with him, so he’d take what he could get.

“Well, perhaps a fossil of some kind… Something to make Lernie jealous,” Zagreus laughed, “I’m sure there were plenty of big prehistoric snakes.”

Than smiled gently at that. “Careful making him jealous, Zag, you said he already tries to escape all the time.”

“Zagreus would never let his snake escape his grasp,” Meg interrupted, making Zagreus jump a bit. Where did she come from?

“He certainly likes to try,” Zagreus replied, turning back to look at her.

“Has he ever actually succeeded? You keep his tank weighted down,” she said.

Something told Zagreus this was a distraction for something, and he couldn’t place what, but Meg was very good at holding his attention. Zagreus certainly couldn’t turn down a conversation about his wonderful pet either. They chatted for another while, until eventually he noticed Dusa coming over to them with Than.

When did Than even leave?

“Zagreus! Have you managed to find any shiny rocks for yourself?” Dusa asked, “Meg found one that’s super funny!”

Zagreus raised his eyebrows at that. “How can a rock be super funny?”

Meg wordlessly opened the paper bag she was holding, Zagreus tilting his head to take a peek, guffawing immediately. Inside was a very large hunk of rose quartz, lovingly carved into the shape of a dick. _Really, Megaera._

Zagreus already knew her wrath would be upon him for asking what he was about to, but he had to anyway. It felt right.

“Really, Meg, do you miss me that badly?”

She promptly scowled and punched him hard in the arm, and he just laughed as he rubbed at it. It did hurt a lot though; Meg had a brutal fist.

“Idiot. I’m going to kick your ass at practice this week for that,” she growled.

Thanatos cut in then, “Practice?”

“Meg and I kickbox together,” Zagreus replied, “For a few years now. Good way to let off steam! Case in point here.”

“Anyway,” Meg huffed, “I should probably go. I have the early shift tomorrow, and I’d like to get some amount of sleep before I have to deal with people again. Come on Dusa, you have the same shift as me.”

“O-Oh! Right, yes. See you later Zagreus, Thanatos! Thanks for looking at rocks with me,” Dusa chirped, quickly following after Meg.

_Why was everybody being so weird?_

“Guess we should head out too, Zagreus,” Than said, his voice low and even.

Zagreus looked Than over, still a bit suspicious about him sneaking away. Meg and Dusa seemed to be in a rush to ditch them too.

_Everybody was weird!_

“Yeah, all right Than. Let’s go.”

Than touched his arm again, gently guiding him back to the front of the stadium. Zagreus decided he could tolerate any amount of weirdness if Than was going to keep casually touching him like this. It felt intimate in a way, even if it was simple.

They made their way outside to find the sun setting and a fairly barren parking lot; seemed that most people had already left a while ago.

Than spoke up and broke the relative silence around them. “Hey, Zag… sorry things have been a bit weird. I wanted to surprise you with something.”

Thanatos pulled a flat square box out of his back pocket, handing it over carefully. Zagreus took hold of it just as gently, staring at the box before looking up at Than again.

“You got me a gift? Than— that’s crazy, you don’t have to—”

“I wanted to. If you’re going to custom roast me my own coffee and all… Might as well return the favor in some way.”

Zagreus felt utterly stunned for a moment before his brain caught up with what Than told him. He wanted to come over! It was fine!

He felt so relieved.

“I… Thank you, Thanatos, I appreciate it. Just let me know when you want to come over and I’ll get it all ready for you.”

Than gave him an easy smile, corners of his eyes crinkling. Their golden color glittered in the setting sunlight, and Zagreus felt completely enraptured.

“At least open it, Zag, I need to know I didn’t mess up with it.”

“Oh! Right, of course. Let’s see…” Zagreus replied, opening up the mysterious little box.

The butterfly brooch was there in front of him, practically glowing in the sunlight. Even its tarnished brass had a faint sheen, and Zagreus wasn’t sure he’d ever actually have the heart to polish it. The tarnish gave it its charm, really.

“Than,” Zagreus whispered, “This is wonderful… I didn’t expect this.”

Thanatos was definitely blushing, and he looked away for a moment before trying to meet Zagreus’s eyes again. “You seemed really fond of it… And you said it reminded you of me and my mother. I thought you’d like to have it.”

There was a lump in Zagreus’s throat as Than spoke. Something about this moment felt different, like a big shift in the fabric of the universe. They’d been catching up for a few months now, but everything suddenly felt new again. His heart was pounding hard, hard enough he could hear it beating in his ears.

Now wasn’t the time for anything major. He wasn’t sure Than was ready for that, and he certainly wasn’t quite there yet.

Still… It felt good. The idea of trying to be with Than felt good.

“I love it… I’ll wear it forever,” Zagreus laughed, “Father can try to yell at me about it being outside the dress code all he wants.”

“Well, don’t get in trouble on my account,” Than chided despite the blush on his cheeks. There was that look that Zagreus wanted to pull out of Than as often as possible. Thanatos looked good like this.

“Of course… Thanks again Than. I’ll let you go here… and see you soon.

“See you, Zag,” Than said quietly.

Zagreus was about to turn around to leave before Than grabbed him by the arm, pulling him into a hug. Zagreus felt his ears ringing for a moment as he realized what the gesture was; he’d been certain for a moment that it might turn into something else.

Zagreus hugged him back briefly before Than pulled away, rubbing the back of his neck. “Anyway… See you, Zag.”

“Bye, Than.”

Thanatos started walking back to his car, Zagreus unable to look away from him for a brief moment before heading back to where he parked. His face split into an enormous grin as he hastily tried to pin the butterfly brooch to his coat, glancing down at it even as he drove home.

Every time he caught that little flash of purple on his person, he felt a flutter in his chest, just like a butterfly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things! Are! Happening! And will continue to happen. I'm excited for what I have planned for next chapter and I hope all of you will be too. <: Hopefully will be done on time but I hope nobody minds if it ends up late by a day or so.
> 
> P.S. I don't drink coffee at all and this is hard lmao


	5. Heavy Metal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hello this is a few days late bc I've been very tired and busy. v-v I'm likely going to be switching to every other week for chapters so I can build a backlog again and also get illustration stuff for my job done! Anyway, enjoy this one! It's a little self indulgent on my part lol.
> 
> Thanks again to Kes and Eli for the betas!

Thanatos liked dark roasts, especially the one for Hypnos. Than also liked the latte he’d made featuring Mort, insofar as he was happy to drink it after some coaxing. This much Zagreus knew for sure.

He got the feeling that perhaps Than would like anything if he made it, which made him _feel things_ , but even still. He wanted to get this right.

Zagreus had busted out his special beans from Costa Rica after all, carefully roasting them and grinding them down. He set enough aside to make two cups, putting the rest of the grounds in a nice paper bag for safe keeping. Everything was made with the utmost care and consideration; Zagreus felt himself sweating from the effort he was going through all for coffee.

But it was Thanatos. He had to do his best work for Thanatos.

He certainly was in a bit of a mood now from all of this. Roasting his own coffee felt like a ritual, something so special and meticulously methodical that made him feel completely at peace. Nothing could distract him from his craft, and the painstaking effort always paid off in the end, especially when the recipients of his work seemed to cherish it so much.

Dusa liked to tell him about how she spread out how often she made her roast, wanting to savor it as long as possible before it went bad (and to not burden him too much with the effort of remaking it, of course). Meg would make it every day until it ran out, wanting to enjoy it when it was as fresh as possible before badgering him to hurry up and make more. Hypnos consumed gallons of the awful dark roast Zagreus made for him, and even if it didn’t keep him awake for as long as either wanted, he still seemed to enjoy it. He even had a blend for Nyx, though he could only get the beans for it at a certain time of year.

He did this for everybody, but Than was special.

Not that all his friends weren’t special, of course, just.

It was Thanatos.

Zagreus busted out his french press to make both cups. Ideally, Than would drink it as soon as it was done in the press. Unfortunately he didn't have that luxury, due to Than working today. That didn’t mean he couldn’t stop by for a visit! Than had mentioned it to him specifically, in fact.

He wasn’t sure how thrilled he was at the prospect of walking in on Than fixing up somebody’s grandma, though. That was definitely a risk in doing this. Supposedly Than’s boss, Ares, was a bit of a weirdo too, if overall harmless. There were many factors at play that would make this visit strange and creepy.

Was it worth it?

Zagreus was already driving to the funeral home as he asked himself this, deciding he was in too deep now. He was going to surprise Than with his own custom coffee, bodies be damned.

Well, hopefully not damned, but he wasn’t going to let anybody’s deceased grandparent stop him from bringing custom coffee he’d spent several hours crafting from scratch to his crush now.

He pulled into the parking lot, looking up at the big sign above the building in red letters reading “Mars Funeral & Cremation”. A very strange choice in name, but he supposed it was memorable.

Zagreus stepped inside casually, glancing around. There thankfully didn’t seem to be any services happening at the moment; he’d hate to interrupt something, barging in with coffee in the middle of people mourning. That would be extremely tacky.

The walls were a bright white, dark red carpeting across the floor, and there were copious fake floral arrangements scattered around. It felt very sterile and mildly threatening at the same time, like walking into a horror movie hospital. It began to sink in that Thanatos worked here, and he’d have to ask if he felt just as unsettled by the environment.

“Greetings, good sir, welcome to Mars Funeral and Cremation, is there anything I can assist you with today?” came the deep, dulcet tones of a dark skinned man in a sharply tailored suit. Presumably this was Than’s boss, and Zagreus felt himself straightening up to put on a good impression.

“Was just going to bring Thanatos a pick-me-up if that’s all right, mate! I’m Zagreus, by the way. I assume you’re director Ares?” Casual, straightforward. From how Thanatos described his boss, he got the impression he’d appreciate that.

There was a flicker of disappointment on Ares’s face, but it was brief and fleeting and Zagreus felt like he wasn’t supposed to have caught it in the first place. Ares’s eyes drifted down to the coffee in his hands, and while one of them was supposed to have been kept for himself, he decided keeping the peace would be for the best.

Zagreus grinned and said, “And I brought one for you as well! Roasted and ground the beans myself, sir, if you’re interested?”

Ares’s expression softened into a sly smile, carefully reaching for the extra cup before bringing it to his lips, sipping it gingerly. Ares hummed in thought before nodding and saying, “Quite exquisite, I must say. Thanatos has often spoken of your capabilities and I hadn’t found the time to make my way to your little cafe… I’ll have to come in more often, I should think.”

Zagreus felt his cheeks go warm from that. Than talked about him a lot, with his boss of all people?

His throat was suddenly very dry, and now he was missing his coffee. Dammit.

Zagreus swallowed thickly before speaking again, “I appreciate that, sir. So it’s all right if I visit with Than then?”

“Indeed, he’ll just be through those doors there, to the left at the bottom of the stairs. Though I recommend you knock before walking in,” Ares replied.

“Figured I’d want to, not sure I’m up for looking at dead people just yet,” Zagreus laughed.

Ares scoffed and rolled his eyes a fraction. “Oh, it’s less that and more the dreadful music he listens to while he works. As long as my clients don’t hear it’s acceptable, but I figured I should prepare you for it.”

What could he possibly be listening to that was so dreadful? Zagreus got the impression that Ares thought Tchaikovsky would be too brutish of a musician, honestly. Surely it wouldn’t be that bad.

Zagreus decided to just smile and nod. “Thank you sir. I’ll get out of your hair now then—”

He dashed away to the double doors that lead downstairs, shivering from how much colder it immediately was. All of Than’s turtlenecks were making a lot more sense now.

As he stepped down into the icy basement, he could hear the faint metallic tones of cymbals coming from the room Ares had told him about. Was it just rock music then? Not a surprise if that was the problem, honestly. Ares seemed very stuck up about these things.

As he stepped closer, the music became much louder, and he wasn’t even sure Than would hear him knocking at all. He listened in closer, finding himself rather horrified by what he was listening to.

_“I’ve got a secret! It’s on the tip of my tongue, it’s on the back of my lungs and—”_

Zagreus pressed his ear up against the double doors that lead into Than’s work room, unable to help the face he made. Thanatos listened to _screamo metal_? Understated, dignified, no-nonsense Thanatos?

He really had _not_ expected that, and yet he was _entirely_ unsurprised as well, all things considered. Thanatos could be a bit grim sometimes.

Zagreus finally knocked on the door, peeking into one of the circular windows at the top of the door _just_ a fraction to make sure Than noticed him. He couldn’t quite see who Than was working on, thankfully, but he could see the sheer amount of focus on his expression. He was working so precisely and carefully, just like how he’d imagined back when they had dinner at his father’s. It was a sight to behold for the briefest moment, until Than finally looked up and caught Zagreus, eyes going wide in surprise. He watched Than throw a sheet over the person he was working on before he stepped towards the doors, tugging off his bright blue nitrile gloves as he went.

Zagreus stepped back from the doors as Than pressed them open, still looking very surprised to see him.

The music was so much louder as Than held the doors open, making it hard to think as the screams from the song rattled through the basement.

_“Repent, repent! The end is nigh! Repent, repent, we’re all gonna die!”_

Zagreus raised his voice to make sure he’d be heard over the music, “Than! I just wanted to bring you your custom roast! I felt like it was about time I made it for you! It should still be pretty warm!”

Thanatos held a finger up to ask Zagreus to wait a moment before pulling his phone out and pressing pause on his music. The basement was suddenly filled with a silence that made it all the more eerie. Zagreus was unable to hold back a shiver. He could hear the slight buzzing of the bright overhead lights and the hum of the refrigerated cubbies for all the bodies in the other room across the hall. Now it definitely felt like a horror movie.

Maybe he preferred the screamo, actually.

“Now then,” Than finally said, “What was it that you said?”

“Oh, right, yes—” Zagreus stammered, “I brought you coffee. Hopefully not too cold, but it’s custom made for you.”

Than’s lips parted in surprise, gingerly taking the cup as Zagreus handed it over to him. Than’s cheeks were bright red and Zagreus felt his stomach doing flips from the look of it. Thanatos looked so much younger when his brow wasn’t creased in concentration or mild irritation.

“Zagreus… you spoil me, really,” he huffed, bringing the cup to hips to sip at it carefully.

Zagreus couldn’t help the grin that broke onto his face, shoulders finally relaxing. “So, Than… You like screamo music then?”

Thanatos huffed at him again, stepping back into his workroom. “It’s called deathcore, Zagreus. Why wouldn’t I like it?”

_Why wouldn’t a mortician like_ death _core indeed!_

Zagreus sheepishly followed behind him, rubbing the back of his neck. “Dunno, mate, you just didn’t seem like the type.”

“It’s some of my favorite music, actually. Aggressive screaming blowing out my eardrums helps me concentrate on my work. What did you think I listened to?” Thanatos sounded genuinely offended and Zagreus felt a little guilty over it.

“Uh, well…” Zagreus felt his voice trail off, debating if he wanted to actually answer the question.

Thanatos went to sit at his desk in the corner of the room, pulling out an extra chair for Zagreus to sit in. Than stared at him over the rim of his coffee cup, and Zagreus was just relieved that at least he liked _that_.

His thoughts were interrupted when Than said, “If you say My Chemical Romance I’m throwing you on my table next.”

_Oh no, he’d been caught._

(Also, Than throwing him down on his table? That mental image was doing more to him than he cared to admit.)

“Of course not! That would be ridiculous,” Zagreus replied, punctuating his words with an awkward laugh, “But… maybe, stuff… like that?”

The look Thanatos gave him could wilt even the hardiest of rose bushes. Zagreus felt the back of his neck heating up in embarrassment, cringing from the feeling.

Thanatos downed the rest of his coffee and pointed at the cup before speaking, “You’re lucky this is the best coffee I’ve ever had, Zag.”

Small mercies.

Zagreus grinned back at him, cheeks finally warm for a different reason. “I’m glad you think so. I wasn’t sure what you might like, and we haven’t had our schedules line up very well at all to have you come over… so I wanted to just surprise you. See what you think.”

Than seemed to finally soften at that. “Well… I appreciate it. Even if your assumptions about my music taste hurt my feelings.”

“But you had to have liked them a little bit, right?” Zagreus pressed.

“You continue to push your luck, Zag.”

“All right, all right! Here,” Zagreus replied, pulling out the bag of extra grounds, “this is for you. I’d still like for you to come in and all, but on the days you can’t, maybe this will suffice.”

Thanatos looked genuinely touched as he picked up the bag, holding it up to his face to inhale the aroma. He sighed deeply, looking utterly relieved. “I think even having this by itself is a relief. I’m so tired of smelling formaldehyde all day.”

“I bet,” Zagreus nodded, “The smell doesn’t help the creep factor down here. How can you stand it?”

“It helps to think I’m the scariest one down here,” Than replied, shrugging casually.

Zagreus couldn’t decide if he found that comforting or not.

“Well, speaking of scary, Halloween is coming up soon. Any plans for that? It’s definitely your favorite holiday, right?”

Thanatos raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re lucky you’re right this time. But no, no plans. Mother likes to dress up and answer the door, but that’s it.”

Thank goodness he got this right at least.

Zagreus hummed in thought, picturing the many phenomenal costumes Nyx had put on over the years. Beauty makeup was more her thing, but she did some pretty convincing special effects stuff too.

It probably helped when your son looked at dead bodies day in and day out. Surely a wonderful pool of reference.

“I wonder if she might enjoy a party,” Zagreus mused, “We could spend some time with everybody, have good food, all that stuff…”

Thanatos considered that a moment before nodding in agreement. “I think Mother would like that a lot, in fact, assuming she’s free. I’ll mention it to her.”

Zagreus grinned so big at that. “Perfect! Just let me know. I’ve got a few recipes I’ve been sitting on that would be good for it, depending on how many people come by.”

“I’ll see what she’s comfortable with. She hasn’t had time to host in a while, but maybe we’ll catch her far enough in advance. If she just has to set up some tables and decor like normal it shouldn’t be too bad.”

“It’ll be nice to have a party. What do you think you might dress up as?” Zagreus asked.

He was intensely curious about Than’s answer. Zagreus at least liked to follow the Halloween tradition of being a _little_ slutty, if only to break free of his godforsaken work uniform. He’d been a firefighter, gladiator, and cowboy in the past. Maybe he could find something to match Than.

“I’m not so creative there, Zag. Maybe you can pick something for me,” Than replied.

Zagreus felt his heart stop. That was a lot to consider, and he’d definitely not be able to make them match. Could he? No, that was probably too much if they weren’t dating.

Everything was suddenly so much more difficult!

“Oh, I’m sure there’s something. What’s your comfort level for exposed skin? Just, considering what all they sell this time of year.” Zagreus tried to laugh playfully to ease the awkward air of the question.

Thanatos shrugged before replying, “I’m fine with some. I promise the turtlenecks are just because it’s cold down here. Meg can tell you, I’m not so prudish.”

Zagreus felt himself shiver as soon as Than mentioned the temperature. He was in one of his thinner hoodies and an atrocious tank top with giant arm holes. This was what he got for his hubris.

“No kidding— I should’ve known you worked in a fridge,” he whined, “But I’ll keep that in mind. If you think of anything, I’m down to dress up with you as well. I’m not really picky.”

Thanatos quirked an eyebrow at that, nodding slowly. “Noted… Even if it’s something nerdy only I’ll understand?”

“After finding out you listen to scream- ahem- _deathcore_ , I don’t think I’ll be surprised by anything you enjoy, Than,” Zagreus laughed, “Whatever you like, mate.”

“I’ll take that as an apology for assuming I care about My Chem,” Than replied, glancing down at his phone again, “But I should be ending my break here. Thanks again for the coffee. I promise I’ll find time to come over and watch you work your magic soon.”

Than smiled at him and Zagreus suddenly felt much less cold.

“I’m glad you like it, and I hope you enjoy the rest. I’ll get out of your hair then… Go finish making grandma look pretty.” Zagreus got to his feet, Than standing with him and shaking his head.

“Most of it’s just sewing people’s jaws shut, which is extremely tedious and makes me feel like a horrific dentist,” Than replied, “But at least it’s convenient knowledge to have. Just in case.”

Zagreus laughed again. “Might have you teach me one of these days… Some of the business people who come in and disturb my peace at five in the morning really need it.”

“Gladly,” Than replied, eyes glimmering as the corners of his mouth turned up.

Zagreus really would not ever be able to get over that look.

He wanted to kiss Thanatos _so_ very badly.

Than eventually shooed him out of the basement, and he was grateful for the relative warmth of the upper floor as he ascended. He laughed to himself as he heard Than’s music come back on, the metallic screams bouncing off the walls for just a brief moment before he pushed open the doors.

_“But if I don’t believe in him, why would he believe in me?”_

As Zagreus entered the front room again Director Ares nodded his head towards him amicably, holding up his coffee cup before going back to whatever work he was doing at the front desk. Zagreus nodded in kind before heading back to his car, blasting the heat immediately.

He’d learned a lot more about Thanatos than he expected today, and he decided he’d try learning more about this _deathcore_ stuff, flipping on the song Than had been playing before driving off.

Zagreus could learn to like just about anything if it was something Than enjoyed.

(Art by Iri_98 on ao3/tmrrw2020 on Twitter!! twitter.com/tmrrw2020/status/1365382978038239233)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I currently am only physically capable of listening to One Band and that's Bring Me the Horizon, thank you. ADHD life. Listen to Kingslayer featuring Baybmetal if you want to hear the best opening song to an anime that doesn't exist. Anyway.
> 
> Yay Ares! He's super fun to write and I have a new appreciation for him (which I already had because hello legendary blade rifts I love you but anyway). I wanted to get some more alone time with Than and Zag for this update, and probably a little more as they prep for the Halloween party. Ohohoho what shall everybody wear >:)
> 
> Anyway, see you all in a couple weeks!
> 
> PS Song is here but Zag was very serious when he said it's screamo if you haven't heard it before lol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfy_0IQzxfo
> 
> EDIT: Also ya'll!!!! We've got fanart! Thank you so much to Iri_98 for this, it's gorgeous and I love it!! https://twitter.com/tmrrw2020/status/1365382978038239233?s=20


	6. Sugar Honey Ice & Tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive still I swear! Been a bit slow going with irl stuff, but it's finally here. Hope you all enjoy.

Zagreus had spent a woeful amount of time on Pinterest while planning for this Halloween party. Not that it was a bad website, but there was a certain aesthetic that many of its users seemed to have that wasn’t quite aligning with what he had in mind. He was looking for some level of whimsy without being so… juvenile. There was no other way to put it.

He’d managed to track down some fun ideas in spite of this, his grocery list well formed and ready for purchasing. He’d been messaging Than all throughout the process to get his approval, since it was partially his idea, and also to see if he could badger details about their costumes out of him. No such luck.

**Thanatos** (7:56am):  
I keep telling you that it’s something nerdy you won’t understand anyway

**Zagreus** (7:57am):  
I’ve come to realize that’s ALL the things you like

**Thanatos** (7:57am):  
Now you make me sound like some hipster

**Zagreus** (7:58am):  
I mean

**Thanatos** (7:58am):  
You can be just as annoying as Hypnos sometimes you know that

**Zagreus** (7:59am):  
You wound me deeply

**Zagreus** (7:59am):  
Anyway are you ready to head to the market?

**Thanatos** (8:00am):  
Just about to leave. Don’t forget your list

**Zagreus** (8:01am):  
I’d never forget something as important as my shopping list for all my Pinterest worthy Halloween foods Than how dare you

Zagreus left it at that before he got in his car and made his way downtown to visit the farmer’s market. He was still shocked that they had one this time of year, but he wouldn’t say no to it.

Plus? It was another totally-not-a-date with Thanatos. That was most definitely a good thing.

Zagreus arrived at the building where the market was, amazed it was a building at all. He could’ve sworn these were usually outdoor affairs, but at least he wouldn’t freeze his tits off. That was always a plus.

He stepped into the stadium holding the market, standing off to the side of the entrance while he watched out for Thanatos. He stared out at the great concrete expanse of the building, filled to the brim with tables of produce, homemade foods, and hand crafts. There really was everything here. It was going to take hours to go through it all.

Thankfully it was only a few minutes later when Than arrived, in  _ another _ turtleneck. He looked good, but it was incredible how many he owned at this point.

He walked up to Than after calling out to him, and they exchanged smiles.

“Now, Than, mate,” Zagreus began, “You do know t-shirts are acceptable clothing items, yeah?”

Thanatos scoffed and rolled his eyes. “I could say the same to you, Zag. You’re not wearing a tank top under your jacket, are you?”

Never. Absolutely not. A horrific assumption that was entirely true.

“Well enough of that anyway,” Zagreus said, making Thanatos scoff again, “Let me get out the list here… as you can imagine, we’re going to need a good number of pumpkins.”

“Color me surprised. What are you making, exactly?”

Zagreus rattled off a list of things, ranging from pumpkin pie, pumpkin shaped rolls, pumpkin shaped  _ hand pies _ , candy apples, and “whatever else we find that looks tasty”. A very detailed yet vague list. Thanatos seemed incredulous by the time he was done telling him everything.

They started walking around, finding pumpkins without issue, grabbing several for all the goodies they’d be making. They found plenty of great snacks at other tables, and even caramels made from local honey. A great way to put together a very adult, mature candy bowl, certainly.

Zagreus was thankful he’d had the mind to bring several bags from home, and they were filled to the brim by the time they got around to looking at all the produce. He’d even found some artisan hand lotion as a gift for Nyx, since she’d been generous enough to host everything.

It was way later in the day when they’d finally made their way through everything, bags filled to the brim with way too much and feet aching from the merciless concrete floors.

“All right, I think that’s more than enough now,” Zagreus groaned, setting his bags down for a brief moment as they came to sit at one of the tables in the stadium’s designated dining area. He pulled out his list, crossing off everything and nodding before tossing it out. Finally, they were free.

“Yes, I think we’ll have plenty,” Than agreed, “I suppose you could store it all at my place in the meantime, and I can bring it all to Mother the day before. I need to make sure your costume fits you too.”

Zagreus raised an eyebrow at him. “Fits me? I mean, if you just got it from the store I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“No,” Than replied, shaking his head, “I made them. Not my finest work, since it’s just Halloween and you don’t know the characters anyway, but still. I’d like to know it’s not too small. Your shoulders are ridiculous.”

Zagreus felt his face start to burn, traveling up to his ears.  _ His shoulders, ridiculous! _ Than was one to talk, really. He had no idea what Than did to keep in shape, but it did him so much good. He  _ wished _ he’d wear something more casual so he could see his arms sometimes. It was so unfair.

“Yes, well,” Zagreus finally stammered, “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Wait, you  _ made _ costumes for us?”

Thanatos blushed ever so slightly, glancing away for a moment as Zagreus stared at him, lips parted in complete shock. Than! Made! Costumes!

There was no heterosexual explanation for that. There just wasn’t.

Zagreus felt like he could scream, but he did his best to contain himself. They were still only flirting, and he didn’t want to scare Thanatos away by being too forward.

“Than,” Zagreus finally managed, “That’s incredible! I’m excited to see them… Why don’t we head over then? I still need to meet the famous Mort.”

Than seemed to relax at that, smiling fondly. “He’s a rascal, you’ll want to be careful.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’ll be fine. He doesn’t bite, does he?”

“Only sometimes,” Than laughed.

They made their way back to their respective cars, and Zagreus felt his heart start pounding as he punched in Than’s address. He wasn’t sure what to expect, considering all he was learning about Thanatos recently. He could have skeletons hanging on the walls, or taxidermy frogs in jars for all he knew. Maybe he’d be so minimalist his apartment would seem bare. Who knew!

He managed to find parking and rushed up to Than’s car to help unload all of their spoils from the day, making their way up the stairs to the door. Zagreus felt himself holding his breath as Than opened up his apartment before they stepped inside.

It was surprisingly quaint and clean. He supposed it made sense; Thanatos was extremely organized and work-oriented. There were some framed posters on the wall, presumably for some of the nerdy things he enjoyed, and all the furniture was in a dark neutral color, nothing but clean lines and shapes. It wasn’t minimalist necessarily, but it was certainly no-nonsense.

Very Thanatos.

They headed over to the kitchen to get everything unpacked onto the counters. Than pulled out a couple notepads from a nearby desk so they could properly plan everything, tossing them down onto the table.

“All right,” Than said, “We should write down all the main courses, then our snacks, drinks we’ll want, and then other supplies… Mother will be happy to help with some things, I’m sure.”

“We should keep a list of games and movies as well… Can’t have a Halloween party without some movie time,” Zagreus added.

“I’ve got plenty of horror stuff, but I don’t know if that’s what you had in mind… I think you know I like my entertainment a little more grim than most.” Thanatos smirked, eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. Zagreus felt his face heat up at that look, swallowing thickly.

“Maybe a tamer one, but we don’t have to resort to the Disney channel stuff. I’m sure you can come up with something good, Than. I trust you with this.”

They went through everything, eventually solidifying their plans. Zagreus was anxious the closer they got to finishing up, eager to see this costume that Thanatos had made. What in the world was he going to be subject to?

“That settles that, then,” Zagreus said, setting his notepad aside, “Now, show me the goods!”

Thanatos raised his eyebrows at him, but it was easy to see he was only just holding back a smile. It was cute.

“Well, all right- You can see Mort while I get it all out,” Than replied, leading Zagreus back to his room.

It was just as neat and tidy as the rest of his apartment, which didn’t surprise Zagreus at all. Than’s blankets were a dark grey, and he had a desk in the corner of the room that had an enormous rat cage. Zagreus couldn’t help but rush up to it, grinning as a small, dark grey face came into view.

“Hello Mort, how are you?” Zagreus asked, putting his finger up to the cage without thinking.

Mort stared back at him with beady black eyes, not unlike Lernie’s, before coming up and biting him, making Zagreus hiss and retract his hand instantly. Mort had chosen violence, it would seem.

Thanatos clucked his tongue and moved into his bathroom, coming back with some ointment and a bandaid.

“I told you he bites sometimes,” Than chided, “He only seems to like me, really.”

Zagreus just grumbled back, “Your rat is very rude, Than. Does he even know I made a coffee version of him? Ungrateful.”

“You’ll survive I’m sure.”

Zagreus had to admit that as bruised as his pride was, he did enjoy having Than patch him up.

Even if being bested by a tiny vermin was absolutely ridiculous. He would  _ not _ make the same mistake twice.

Than nodded once he finished wrapping Zag’s finger in a bandaid, stepping back to his closet to presumably grab their costumes. Zagreus sat on Than’s bed and watched intently, trying to peek behind him to see what they were. He saw a white costume, and another that was blue and red, both from something he didn’t recognize in the slightest. What was he getting into now?

“I think this character is going to suit you best,” Than said, handing him the blue and red one.

Red was more of his color anyway, as Thanatos had once said.

He held it up and looked it over, glancing at all the nice brocades and fabrics that made it up. The seams and stitches were flawless and clean; another thing about Thanatos that both surprised him and didn’t. ‘Not his best work’! A major understatement. Than always seemed to put his all into his work, and it showed in whatever he did. Zagreus couldn’t help but feel honored to even have something that Than had made him.

“I don’t know who this character is, but you’ve done amazing on this Than- I hardly feel like I deserve to wear something this nice! You’ve been busy since we were kids, what all with everything you’ve picked up,” Zagreus laughed.

Thanatos smiled and ducked his head in an attempt to hide his blush, but Zagreus could catch it from a mile away now. No escaping his watchful eye anymore.

“Well, thanks Zag,” Than finally replied, “The character seemed like he suited you. There’s some kinda clunky armor bits too, but I’m still working on those. They should be done in time though.”

Zagreus looked over the outfit again, gently laying it out on the bed. It was incredible.

“Here, I’ll get out of your way so you can try it on,” Than said, “Let me know when you’re ready.”

“Sure thing,” replied Zagreus, waiting until Than left before starting to undress.

He heard some skittering, and he could see Mort staring back at him, gnawing on the wires of his cage.

“Vicious beast, you will not have me this day,” Zagreus grumbled.

He got the costume sorted, finding it fit like a glove. It was a bit unnerving how perfect it was, but it just went to show Than’s eye for detail. Zagreus felt very much like a clumsy slob compared to him honestly, even more so now that he was wearing something so lovingly crafted. And it wasn’t even finished! Than had to make  _ armor _ ! He was doing this for  _ fun _ ! Zagreus couldn’t even begin to imagine why Than was putting in so much effort.

“Than, I’m no longer naked!” Zagreus finally called, “It all fits great!”

He heard Thanatos scoff on the other side of the door before stepping inside, crossing his arms as he looked Zagreus up and down. Than’s cheeks were red, and Zagreus couldn’t help but break into a grin from it.

“You did good, Than,” he said, “I think it’s turned out amazing…  _ You’re _ amazing.”

“Stop that,” Than gruffed, clearly embarrassed by the praise, “I’m glad it all fits though. You’ll probably want to find some tall boots for this, but that’s it.”

“I can do that, easy. Now, can I see your half of this, or am I being kept in the dark still?”

Than snorted, “It’s still a surprise. You probably have enough to work out who we’re going as anyway.”

“Thanatos, I’m not sure what makes you think I can figure out who this man with this,” Zagreus replied, gesturing at all of himself, “red and blue steampunk outfit could possibly be, but you assume too many problem solving skills on my part.”

“We’ll see, Zag. You should give yourself more credit.”

Thanatos was looking at Zagreus very seriously, arms still crossed as he looked him over. It was making his ears heat up, being looked at so intently. What could Thanatos see?

“Anyway,” Than continued, “I’ll let you change back, glad to know the fit’s worked out.”

Than was already leaving before Zagreus could say another word. He felt overwhelmed by everything that had just happened, and he turned back to check on Mort.

“Don’t suppose you could help me out here, eh?”

Mort was content to ignore him, immediately going to run on his wheel. Zagreus rolled his eyes and got changed back into his regular clothes, carefully folding up the costume and setting it on the bed.

Zagreus leaned down and muttered to Mort again, “I’ll make you like me, you hear me?”

He jumped a bit when he heard Than knocking on the door. “Zag? Are you antagonizing my rat in there?”

“No! I would never!” he called back, going to open up the door. He was greeted with the sight of Thanatos raising an eyebrow at him, arms still crossed, looking highly unimpressed.

Everything was fine!

“He can’t simply be appeased with words, unfortunately. I’m sure he’ll warm up to you,” Than snorted, shaking his head and walking back out to the front of his apartment, “But I’ll finally let you go here. What time did you want to start cooking this weekend?”

Zagreus zipped up his hoodie in preparation for leaving, humming in thought for a moment. “Let’s say noon? Just to be safe. If we finish early we can help Nyx with decorations and stuff.”

“I’m sure she’d appreciate that. It’s a date then.”

Zagreus froze the same time as Thanatos, eyes locking for a brief moment as he started shoving one of his shoes on.

Thanatos definitely didn’t mean to word it that way, and Zagreus simply did not wish to think further on this.

“Yes! Anyway, I’ll get out of your hair, I’ve got to go- um- make sure Lernie’s water dish is full still. Yeah. See you—”

“See you, Zag—”

Zagreus got his shoes on, patted Than’s shoulder, and then rushed out the door before either of them could become any more awkward.

Which likely wasn’t helped by patting his shoulder like a godforsaken guidance counselor!

But it was done, and clearly Thanatos didn’t seem to mind how strange he could be sometimes. He’d take that.

For now he’d head home, sort out all the recipes he was going to make, and see if he could dredge up anything on google to divine who in the world he was dressing as for Halloween.

Strange, secretive Thanatos. He’d figure it out eventually.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their costumes are entirely self indulgent and if you know who they are you're as much of a nerd as I am lol. But yay, party next chapter! We're not even halfway through my timeline for everything I want to do with this fic still lol.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed, I'll see you soon.


End file.
